#Raw Materials

2022-01-20

COTTON USA Mill Mastery® courses show how U.S. Cotton optimizes spinning mills

Nearly 100 mill participants in four countries have learned how using superior quality U.S. cotton optimizes their spinning mills, after completing the COTTON USA Mill Mastery® course. CCI’s in-depth COTTON USA Mill Mastery® course is an informative course of study designed to take global mills’ spinning skills to the next level. It’s led by the COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® Technical Team, with a combined experience of over 200 years. Illustrating its success, 97% of the participants have rated the courses as helpful for their day-to-day operations.

COTTON USA Mill Mastery® empowers spinning industry participants with industry-relevant knowledge of all aspects of U.S. cotton through 15 distinct modules, covering 24 different subjects. The topics start with the U.S. cotton field and cover all major steps of cotton yarn spinning, maintenance and auxiliary processes. Beyond technical knowledge, there are modules on cotton buying, the economics of spinning and profitability in yarn production.

The COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® Technical Team delivered courses in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam and Pakistan on fiber quality, fiber selection, profitability and bale management. The team also taught a course on cotton fiber trading and buying twice in Pakistan and in Bangladesh. The profitability module attracted a lot of attention, and the Technical Team presented it multiple times in each of the four different countries. After every course, an open-book exam provided an opportunity for participants to reflect on their learning.

The success of the courses is evident by the fact that 99% of participants confirmed that they are likely to recommend the courses to a colleague. The COTTON USA Mill Mastery® course awards a physical and digital certificate of completion (partnered with Credly). The sharing rate of issued digital credentials on social media was 75%, compared to an industry average of 47%.

COTTON USA Mill Mastery® courses are one of five offerings of COTTON USA SOLUTIONS®, a cotton consultancy created to take spinning mills to the next level of success. The programs provide unmatched expertise informed by work with over 1,500 mills in 50 countries. COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® programs are complimentary for COTTON USA™ licensees with a U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol® membership.

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Lenzing commissions 14 MW power‑to‑heat facility, strengthening grid stability and heat management

The Lenzing Group has successfully commissioned a new power‑to‑heat (P2H) facility with an electrical capacity of 14 megawatts. The installation converts renewable electricity directly into process heat, is fully integrated into the existing heat network at the industrial site, and represents a key building block for a fossil‑free heat supply. As project partner, VERBUND was responsible for the energy‑market integration and will operate the facility for balancing energy marketing, enabling it to respond flexibly to short‑term fluctuations in the power grid.

Kraig Biocraft reaches next step in production growth

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced that it has produced more than 1.3 metric tons of recombinant spider silk cocoons in a single month. This is a new world record and shatters the Company’s previous production record by a factor of five. Today marks a pivotal step forward in the transition of spider silk from laboratory innovation to an industrial-scale material platform.

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

Kornit Digital expands digital production into footwear and technical textiles with Presto MAX PLUS

Kornit Digital (NASDAQ: KRNT) (“Kornit” or the “Company”), a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production, today unveiled the Kornit Presto MAX PLUS, a new roll-to-roll system expanding digital manufacturing into footwear, automotive interiors, military camouflage, high-performance sportswear, and high-end furnishings. Debuting at Texprocess 2026 in Frankfurt, Presto MAX PLUS enables entirely new applications for on-demand textile production.

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

Global growth in the technical textile sector drives interest in HIGHTEX 2026 to its peak

The continued steady growth of the technical textiles and nonwoven sector worldwide is increasing interest every year in the HIGHTEX Exhibition, one of the sector’s most important meeting points. In this strong growth climate, HIGHTEX 2026 International Technical Textiles and Nonwoven Exhibition, which will bring together the sector’s leading manufacturers, technology providers, and international buyers, is preparing to open its doors at Tüyap Fair and Congress Center on June 9–13, 2026.